


The secret

by Rogercat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anglo-Saxon, Arranged Marriage, Childbirth, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Grandchildren, Magic, Motherhood, Muggle/Wizard Relations, Squibs, Widowed, Wizards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 23:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18041447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: Every magical family have a secret, and Salazar is set on ensuring that things stays hidden





	The secret

They called her useless, unworthy of the family name, all because of that she had the ill luck of being born without magic like her brother and sister. The cruel words, all the times she had been hurt thanks to being unable to defend herself. It had even dangerously close to that she nearly died a few times. 

 

Two years, that was the age difference between the twins and herself. She knew the story, of how people in their social circle believed that her parents had suffered the ill fate of their firstborn being a stillbirth, because no one mentioned those children born without magic unless in whispers about how it was a such shame whatever it happened to those who had magical ancestry. 

 

“Enjoying the harp, sweet Qwen?”

 

The black-haired adolescent looked up at her father, the same green eyes meeting each other as he entered the chamber where she played music. He was not expected to return home, in the middle of week like this. It was only Wednesday, after all, and he had a habit of returning home to the large hall where his family lived on Sundays, generally without his two younger children since his eldest daughter acted like the Lady of the Household, a position she had inherited four years earlier when her mother had died. 

 

“You are home four days early, Father. Is there a good reason for it?” 

 

Somehow, Qwen had a good feeling about this mystery, and that normally would end up being right in some way.

 

“Yes. You turned 18 years old this May, and I have finally found someone I know to become a good husband for you, my sweet daughter. They agreed to a betrothal yesterday, and that you shall wed Beorn, the oldest son of the Leod family, who is only one year older than yourself.”

 

Using his magic, her father used some of the yarn in the basket at her feet to weave together a small portrait of her betrothed for her so she could see how he looked like. Even in a simple image like this, she could tell that he was a handsome man, a strong warrior. He was a pleasant blond man with brown eyes, which seemed very honest. It was easy to imagine that young girls might fancy him. 

 

“A Muggle family, I guess? Because there would be very hard to get me married into one of the Magical families, when everyone believes that you only have two children from your sole marriage, and I know that many of them have the belief of that if a magical person marries a Squib, the children from that marriage will inherit that lack of magic.” 

 

He nodded. 

 

“They owns a stud farm where they breeds and sells horses, so they are well off. You will not need to worry about marrying a poor husband.” 

 

Thanes, then. The upper class of the Anglo-Saxon society. Of course her father would aim for that social status for her, because he loved her despite that she was the one of his three children to not be magical. Smiling sadly, Qwen spoke anew:

 

“And I am grateful for that, father. You show your care for me, the disgraced child, even when no one would question why you would have abandoned me and become forgotten when I never showed any sign of magic as I grew up.” 

 

He returned a thin smile, his eyes a bit sorrowful.

 

“How could I repay the suffering of your mother in the birthing bed, and her love for you, by sending you away? You had chosen not to be born without magic, and she struggled enough with her frail health, even before she got pregnant.”

 

Qwen knew that he must be thinking of Cearo, the woman who had been chosen to wed her father despite that they were cousin, all because of that she would not be accepted by other possible bridegrooms. Poor health was said to affect the ability to bear children, and frail-looking women, even witches of good breeding, often faced a refusal of marriage because of that they were thought to not birth strong children, or offspring that was less healthy. 

 

“I miss mother as well, father. But if I am lacking magic, then I should not suffer her troubles with birthing many children. I am not afraid of death, if it means that my own child can live.” 

 

For a moment, her father looked worried, and for a good reason. Their family was not known to be a large family in terms of siblings, and the last few generations had been haunted by fertility problems. Three children, like Qwen and her siblings, was the highest number of children born in one generation, if they managed to survive past birth and the first childhood years. 

 

“I need to return to Hogwarts before your siblings starts hexing the younger students again. I will give you more details about your future husband and his family on Sunday, my daughter.” 

 

She nodded, starting to play on her harp again. But this time, Qwen dared to daydream as well. Next summer promised to be a pleasant one. 

 

~X~X~X~X~X~X

 

Little over two years later: 

 

Childbirth proved to indeed be the intermixture of pain and joy as her mother-in-law had promised. But for Qwen, the sound of her newborn crying was the most stunning she ever had heard. She felt a little sorry for that her husband had not been allowed into the house while she gave birth, for this was a all-female event and a mystery that would not be revealed for men. However, as this was a stud farm, Beorn was bound to know how it worked, given how many foals he helped the mares to deliver every year. 

 

“A lovely little daughter, beautiful just like her mother,” Beorn smiled as Qwen held up the baby for him to see. Of course, it was a little hard to see future beauty when all newborn human babies was ugly cute at the best, but Qwen said nothing about it. 

 

“I was thinking of Sally for her name.”

 

Her husband nodded in agreement. They had already spoken of naming their first child after her father in some way, and the following ones could be talked about when that time came. 

 

“Do you want me to bring in some of the last summer flowers for you, Qwen? Set in one of the clay cups that we brought from the village last month?”

 

She smiled, he was so tender and wanted to make up for her about not being present at the birth.

 

“Yes, please. And some ale as well, I drank a lot because I was so thirsty earlier but I want some more now. And some bread too.”

 

“I will get the food at once and the flowers before evening, beloved.”  

 

When he had left the bed, Qwen bent down and whispered into the ear of her little daughter:

 

“ _ Sweetest Sally, please grow up strong and healthy so you can create a line of secret descendants here in the Muggle World for my father... _ **_Salazar Slytherin._ ** ” 

 

It was a promise to herself, a most secret wish for Qwen that eventually one future descendant of her blood would be born with the magic she had lacked at birth. 

**Author's Note:**

> As neither canon or Rowling herself have said anything about how the Gaunt family ended up as the last descendants of Salazar, I put my own twist on it and created his Squib daughter Qwen, who is a original character of mine
> 
> Her oldest daughter Sally is meant to be the female ancestor to a female line of descendants, from mother to daughter, who are all Muggles until the day Lily Evans are born with the magic that makes her a Muggle-born witch, thus making Lily the first magical descendant of Qwen in nearly 1000 years. The green eyes both Lily and Harry have, is also a secret sign of that line of descent, because Qwen have the same shade and colour 
> 
> Beorn is meant to be inspired by the character Eomer from the LOTR movies, with his actor Karl Urban in full set and ready for filming


End file.
